


Friends Don't Let Friends Make Terrible Decisions

by Daretodream66



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, F/M, Idiots in Love, Laura and Clint do though, Love at First Sight, M/M, Nat doesn't know that, Steve and Tony are friends, Tony Is a Good Bro, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21620884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daretodream66/pseuds/Daretodream66
Summary: Steve meets Bucky while on a vacation with the team.  It's love at first sight.
Relationships: Clint Barton/Laura Barton, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 11
Kudos: 225





	Friends Don't Let Friends Make Terrible Decisions

People, meaning the Avengers, believe that Steve and Tony don’t talk. They think they don’t share things with the other. The two never eat meals together, they never go out anywhere together, and when there’s a dinner or gala, Tony spends most of his time ragging on Steve or teasing him. Everyone accepts that this is their relationship. They accept that the two will never be close, but when it counts, in battle, they work well together. These are all the things that the team _knows._

What they don’t actually know, not even Natasha, is that Steve spends most of his nights in Tony’s lab. He’ll sit on the floor or sometimes lay on the floor and the two men will talk. Tony has learned many things about his father and Aunt Peggy that make him believe that Howard Stark was not always an asshole and Peggy Carter was a goddess among women. Tony knows more about the Howling Commandos than most historians. Tony knows that Steve is lonely, but just can’t seem to let himself find happiness. They’ve talked it through and Tony helped Steve understand that it wasn’t about letting himself, or in this case, not letting himself be happy, but it was more that Steve just hadn’t connected with anyone.

Tony likes these talks and never shares what they discuss with anyone, not even Pepper. So, when the team eyes them over a breakfast or during a gala, when Tony is being obnoxiously trite with Steve’s emotions, the two men just give a casual wink or arm squeeze when no one is looking. They know and that’s all that really matters.

Steve is stretched out on the floor of the lab while Tony works on an upgrade to the stealth suit. “Tonyyyyyy.”

“My god you are needy tonight.” Tony flips the welders mask up and stares at his friend. “Have you always been this whiny?”

Steve sits up, elbows on knees, grinning. “No, I learned it from you.”

“Bite me, Rogers.” He flips the mask back down. 

“I’m serious, we should go on a vacation. The team deserves it and I’m exhausted. You’d think 70 years on ice sleeping would have fixed that, but I’m tired.” Steve’s shoulders slump and Tony stops what he’s doing, removing the mask, and going to his friend.

He sits down on the floor. “What’s this really about?” He knows his friend and willingly wanting to go on a vacation isn’t typical Steve behavior.

Steve hangs his head. “Natasha wants to fix me up again and no matter what I tell her, she won’t listen this time. Tony…it’s a woman.”

Tony huffs a quiet chuckle. “You know how to fix this, you know if you tell them, they won’t care. What holds you back?”

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m just…scared. Maybe I just want it to be a situation where I don’t have to tell them. It just happens.” Steve flushes and Tony knows that means he’s being more honest than he really wants to.

This is how their nights are spent. Lounging around the lab and talking about anything and everything. Steve was the first to know that Tony had purchased a ring for Pepper. Tony was the first to hear Steve say out loud, “I’m gay.” Steve was the first to know that Tony wanted kids more than he wanted to be Iron Man. Tony was the first to see Steve cry for everything he lost.

Tony doesn’t know how to get Natasha off of Steve’s back about dating, so he turns to Pepper. He doesn’t explain too much, but she gets it. It takes much too much convincing, but Nat finally backs off and promises to not try again. It does set the red-heads wheels turning. She knows that for Pepper to come to her something is up.

Tony announces that the Avengers are going on vacation a few days later. Everyone, except Steve, is surprised to say the least and that just sets Natasha’s head spinning. As the meeting breaks up she heads Steve off at the lift. “What’s really going on, Steve?”

He looks up confused. “I don’t understand the question.”

She rolls her eyes, grabbing his elbow and leading him into the lift. “It’s almost like you knew Tony was going to plan this. Like you two talked about it. But that’s not right because you two never talk outside insults.”

Steve shrugs and looks at the ceiling. “I just figured it’s Tony and it’s easier to do what he wants than to argue.”

It’s a plausible explanation, but Steve’s body language says different. “Is there something you want to tell me?” He really seems confused now and she smirks. “Is all of this insulting and back-biting just hidden sexual tension? Are you and Tony involved?”

Steve sputters and blinks rapidly at her. “Invo…you mean like… _involved_?”

“I mean are you two fucking, Rogers?” Steve nearly passes out.

“He’s engaged to Pepper! You know this, right?” How is the name of all that’s holy could she think that?

“I’m just saying things aren’t adding up.” The lift opens and she strolls away from him. He’s left staring blankly after her. She walks away appreciating the fact that she threw him off. Accusing him of being involved with Tony is a ploy to get him to spill what’s really going on. Because the idea that Captain America being into men, not very likely.

Back in his quarters, he texts Tony. The response he gets back makes him laugh. _‘You could do worse.’_

The team plus a few extras, namely Laura Barton and Pepper, ended up in St. Moritz. Tony had booked a week of skiing and a stay at Badrutt’s Palace Hotel. Steve had no desire to purposely put himself in the snow, but the scenery is incredible and he can spend his time sketching and being a tourist. Laura seems to like the way he thinks and spends time on Captain America’s arm as they traverse the little shops. 

“So, what’s going on that has Nat so high-strung?” Steve looks up and wonders if this is Nat’s way of getting him to open up; using her friend to worm the information out of Steve.

He relaxes when he looks over and she has her face turned up to the sun, eyes closed and completely relaxed and unconcerned about his answer. She looks over finally, smiling brightly at him. “I just wanted to get away and Tony thought it was a good idea.”

“You know, Clint came home after the Battle of New York and he said that he thought you and Tony were actually friends going to be friends.” She grins evilly. “He never told Nat that. It’s not often that we know something she doesn’t.”

Steve barks a laugh. “Then from one conspirator to another, Tony is my closest friend.” She cackles at that and orders another coffee.

As they stroll back through the streets to the hotel, he sees a small gallery and pulls her towards the door. “How much do you know about art?” Laura watches him inspecting piece after piece.

Steve stares at the painting that drew him in. “I went to art school before.” He points at a shadow near a bridge in the painting. “I wonder if the artist meant to give this effect.” He steps closer. “It’s almost like this man is watching the world unfold in front of him, like he doesn’t know how to really be part of it.” He says it as though he’s talking to himself. It speaks to that part of Steve that was so lost when he first woke up. In all honesty, he knows that there’s still a piece of himself that feels that way.

The voice from behind him startles Steve from his musings. “That’s exactly what the artist intended, but most people don’t see him.”

Laura has wandered away leaving Steve to his thoughts. When Steve turns he comes face to face with the single most striking person he’s ever seen. He feels every nerve in his body light up. “Oh…do you know the artist?”

The man smiles brightly causing his eyes to crinkle at the edges and his nose to scrunch up. It’s goddamn adorable is what it is. “I would say so.” He sticks his hand out. “I’m James Barnes.”

Steve takes the offered hand, turns back to look over his shoulder at the painting’s signature, and sees the name. “Oh…uh…I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

James snorts a laugh. “It’s okay. Not many people realize that I paint, they just think I own the place.”

Steve thinks about the gallery’s name: ‘Fin do la Ligne.’ “Why ‘End of the Line’?”

James flushes and looks at the ground in embarrassment. “That’s…uh…it’s…”

Steve backtracks. “I’m sorry. That was rude and probably personal. I’m sorry.” He starts to turn, even though he really doesn’t want to look away from the man, he thinks it best that he leave.

Just as he’s about to take a step away to find Laura, a hand stops him. “It’s okay. It’s just that no one has ever asked.” Steve puts his hand over the one on his arm. “I wanted to be somewhere that no one knew me and if this didn’t work out, I didn’t know where else I could go. Luckily, it was a good decision.” There’s a twinkle there and Steve lets himself think, for just a second, that maybe it’s a little bit flirty.

Steve smiles then quickly removes his hand that is suspiciously close to holding James’s in an intimate way. “I’m glad it worked out. You’re American?”

James quirks a smile. “Brooklyn, born and raised.” His eyes sparkle and Steve catches his breath at the sight.

“It’s nice to meet you, James. I’m Steve.” That causes another snort. “I’m going to assume you knew that.”

“Well what kind of New Yorker would I be if I didn’t know Steve Rogers?”

Laura comes back over. “I just got a text from Clint and we’re supposed to meet them for dinner. He says that Pepper is insisting on dinner finery.”

Steve chuckles. “James Barnes, this is Laura Barton.” They shake hands and she watches how Steve watches James. She finds that Steve tracking every nuance of James’s movements to be very interesting indeed.

“It’s a pleasure.” James quirks his head. He makes the connection between Steve being an Avenger and the last name Barton. “Wait, Barton? As in Clint Barton?” As soon as it’s out of his mouth, he knows he’s screwed up. Steve picks up on the flicker of discomfort.

“Oh…no…he doesn’t owe you money or anything does he?” She’s playing and it makes the two men laugh nervously.

“No, no, no, I just met him once in Budapest.” Steve’s head jerks up because he only knows of one time that Clint was in Budapest. James cuts his eyes over to Steve and the look is almost pleading. Steve keeps his mouth shut. Laura smirks again because they don’t know what she knows.

James Buchannan Barnes is a wanted man. Not in the way that would eventually land him in jail, but wanted in the way that he has a certain skill set that many would like to get their hands on. James used to work for SHIELD, but many years ago, in Budapest, James did something that he wasn’t supposed to; and took something, for safe keeping, that was supposed to be destroyed about someone that shouldn’t have become a friend. Barton was there to kill the legendary Widow, who was already running for her life. James was there on another op, but paths crossed and lives got entangled. Before turning herself over to Barton for whatever fate he had in store, she handed something to James, trusting that he would destroy it. Not knowing what he was in possession of, he went through the files. Fury tried to get him to come back to headquarters, but he refused. Fury sent his two best agents after him and they failed to bring him in. They both confessed that James was better than they thought and he slipped through their fingers. It’s the one and only time that Agents Coulson and Hill failed a mission.

It isn’t that James doesn’t trust Nick Fury…it’s just that James doesn’t trust Nick Fury. He smirks at that thought because Fury has more secrets than any one person should have and James isn’t in the secrets business anymore. Oh, don’t get him wrong, he’s hanging on to the biggest secret that has ever secreted, but he doesn’t want to use it or hurt anyone with it, he just wants to be left alone. And that drive is his leverage. It wasn’t until he opened his big mouth and asked about Clint that he realized that he’d well and truly fucked up. Because if the Avengers are here then Nick Fury knows that.

As Steve and Laura get ready to leave the gallery, he pulls Laura aside while Steve disappears. “You know, don’t you?”

She smiles and it’s a harmless thing that he doesn’t mistake for actual harmless. “We don’t usually discuss missions, but I do know about you.”

He hangs his head. “I just wanted out and this was the only way for that to happen.”

She pats his arm. “I have no reason to out you, so to speak. Clint would like to see you though and I bet Natasha would too.”

“Wait…Nat is with you? Of course she is.” That is news that he wasn’t expecting. She may work with the Avengers, but her being on vacation with them means they are her family. 

“Yep, do you really think the Avengers are going on a vacation and Black Widow isn’t going to go too, James?” He chuckles and shakes his head. “I’ll tell them where you are and I’ll also tell Steve to keep this to himself.”

James nods with a great relief settling into his bones. “Thanks. I owe you.” Steve comes over carrying a wrapped painting. “What did you do?”

Steve just grins. “What? It spoke to me.” They can hear James laughing all the way out of the gallery.

Later that night, Steve sits in his suite and looks at the painting leaning on the other sofa. The door opens and Tony comes in, plopping down next to him. “Clint and Nat went out to explore the city.” He looks over at the painting. “That’s new.”

Steve doesn’t take his eyes from the piece. “Yeah, Laura and I found a gallery today and I just couldn’t pass this up.” He points over to the bridge. “Can you see the man?”

Tony looks over, squinting a little. “The guy hiding in the shadows? Yeah.”

Steve smiles because Tony is so good and so kind to him, but everyone overlooks how creative he is because it’s all in tech. “He’s important.” Tony gets the feeling that Steve isn’t really talking about the man in the painting.

Tony looks from the painting to Steve and back to the painting. “What’s going on, Steve?”

For a few long minutes, Steve doesn’t answer. Then he sighs. “I met someone today. He’s really beautiful, Tony.” He turns to his friend. “What do I do?”

Tony smiles and it’s genuine. “You get to know him. Ask questions about…well anything really. See if he wants to get lunch or dinner or just coffee.”

Steve lays his head on the back of the sofa. He turns his head to look at his friend without raising it from the sofa back. “You ever meet someone and just know? You just know they’re going to be important.” When Tony looks over rolling his eyes, Steve laughs because he knows Tony is thinking about Pepper. “Well, that’s how he feels.”

“Steve, I almost let Pepper walk out of my life. If I had, it would have been the defining moment of my failure at living. If that’s how he feels, you gotta grab that and don’t let go.” Patting Steve on the leg, he gets up and heads to the door.

“Oh Tony…” The genius turns back before opening the door. “Laura seemed really concerned that no one finds out about meeting him. Something about ex-pat status.” Tony cocks an eyebrow and Steve gives him the same look.

“In other words we have a mystery on our hands.” Steve nods, trusting and knowing that Tony will work in a discreet manner that would surprise even the most well trained spy.

The following day, Steve sets out on his own. Laura just smirks at him, Tony hides his grin behind his napkin, and Natasha watches him like she’s trying to put a puzzle together. Steve doesn’t care because he wants to see James and he’s damn well going to do it. 

Unfortunately, the gallery isn’t open yet. Feeling defeated by something as simple as this, Steve heads down the street to the coffee shop he and Laura had been at the day before. As he pushes the door open, he hears the bell jingle above his head. He looks up smiling when it brings a flood of memories from his childhood. The day before it had been so busy that he’d missed that little touch. “You’re easily amused if a bell makes you smile like that.”

Steve’s head shoots up. James stands there, coffee in hand, smiling so brightly that Steve thinks of shielding his eyes. He’s the most beautiful goddamn thing that Steve has ever seen and that wave of ‘this person is important’ comes flooding back. “Hi.” Steve is sure that he’s wearing the sappiest grin possible, but can’t bring himself to care.

James smiles again, but this time, it’s embarrassed and he blushes. “Hi.” James looks down at the floor, seemingly to gather his wits about him, then looks up meeting Steve’s gaze. “I didn’t know the word hi could hold so much meaning.”

Steve blushes and wonders if he should backtrack and apologize when James takes his hand, leading him to a table. “Sorry if that was…”

“If you’re going to say too much or inappropriate, please don’t take that away from me.” They’ve seated themselves, but James hasn’t released his hand.

His thumb is stroking over the back of Steve’s hand and that finite point of contact has the super soldier’s complete focus. It’s almost as if James is trying to gage the situation by maintaining the contact. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He says it quietly.

When Steve looks up, James is watching all of his reactions. “I have to admit, this is surprising.” Steve looks confused, so the gallery owner continues his explanation. “I mean just because I’ve had a crush on you my whole life, doesn’t mean you’d want the same thing.”

“James…”

“Bucky.”

“Bucky?” Steve’s trying to figure out if they are playing a word game that he doesn’t know the rules to.

James chuckles and looks at Steve like he’s precious and breakable. “It’s a nickname that my sister gave me. All the really important people in my life call me Bucky.”

Steve looks down at their still joined hands then back up at Bucky through his eyelashes. “And am I a really important person, Bucky?”

“You keep looking at me like that, Steve, and you’ll find out in the middle of a crowded coffee shop just how important I think you could be.” There’s a challenge there and Steve smirks.

“That a promise, Buck?” Bucky almost shivers visibly at the shortening of his nickname.

“If you want it to be.” Bucky gets up and Steve tries to hang on so he won’t leave. “I’m getting you a coffee then we’re talking about where you’d like to have dinner tonight.”

While Bucky’s at the counter, Steve pulls out his phone, sending a text to Tony. _‘Thank you for encouraging me. He wants to take me to dinner tonight.’_

**_‘What are friends for, Steven? Grab hold and hang on tight.’_ **

They sit for hours, talking about Steve’s art and his life, such as it is. Bucky tells him about always wanting to paint, but how his skills led him to the army. Steve questions him about living in St. Moritz, but the answer he gets is vague at best. He knows there’s a story and it involves Clint and Natasha, but he won’t push until Bucky is ready to talk about it.

The team goes out to dinner that night and Steve begs off. This sets off all manner of whining from the group, but Laura tells them to leave him be. Pepper hires a carriage big enough to accommodate all of them and when they climb in, everyone snuggles up together under blankets. The driver is stunned that his party group is the Avengers, but grins proudly and promises them the best sightseeing trip before their dinner.

Steve smiles as he watches the carriage pull away. Turning back to the entrance, he sees Bucky leaning against a pillar. He’s lit from a window behind him and the glow makes him look ethereal. It stops Steve in his tracks and he wonders if this is what his ma meant when she said that angels were watching over him. He doesn’t give his feet permission to stride over. And he doesn’t give his arms permission to wrap around the man, but Bucky responds by cradling Steve to him.

“Whatever it is, it’s okay.” The soft words have Steve tearing up and he can’t pinpoint why exactly.

Giving a sniffle that alerts Bucky to his condition, he pulls away, trying to turn away, but Bucky’s not having it. “Sorry…I…it’s…”

Bucky takes his hand and pulls him into the night. “When you’re ready, you can tell me. Until then, let’s just enjoy this night. I’m taking you to a very fancy place tonight for dinner, but we have time before the reservation.”

Steve nods and squeezes Bucky’s hand. They walk until Steve feels put together again. “I saw you and thought you were an angel.”

Bucky snorts and then looks up apologetically. “Sorry, but that’s the last thing my ma would call me.”

It’s Steve’s turn to snort. “Well to be honest, angels needed to be watching over me for how much trouble I brought on myself.”

There’s silence for another block. “I remember seeing pictures of you in the museum and thinking you were the prettiest twink I’d ever seen.”

Now Steve bellows with laughter. “In my day, it was just cause to get myself beat up. Nice to know I was someone’s fantasy.”

“Oh Stevie, you have been my fantasy for years.” They reach the restaurant and are discreetly shown to their table. “And just so you know, the reality of you is better than my fantasies.” Steve blushes furiously, but smiles along with it. Bucky orders a nice wine and when the waiter brings it over, their hands are laced over the table. Bucky checks the wine noticing that it isn’t what he ordered. It’s a much better vintage. “I think there’s been a mistake.”

The waiter smiles. “It’s compliments of that table over there.” He indicates the far corner and Steve and Bucky look over.

The Avengers are smiling back at them, raising their glasses in toast. Steve would try to hide, but it’s much too late for that. His face is serious, but he nods at them. “I’m going to have to answer a lot of questions when I get in tonight.” Steve can see Natasha wide eyed in confusion and Tony smiling in a very un-Tony-like fashion.

Bucky starts to pull his hand away. “If this isn’t something you…” Steve clasps it tighter.

Steve shakes his head. “Don’t you dare think I’m embarrassed by you.” The smile that blooms across Bucky’s face is a miracle. “My god you are so beautiful.”

“You keep talking like that Mr. Rogers and you won’t have to worry about going home tonight.” Steve settles back in, smiling at the implication.

During dinner there’s more laughter than Steve can remember in a long, long time. Bucky is smart, funny, and damn near the most perfect thing that Steve’s ever been in the presence of. They walk back towards the hotel with arms wrapped around the other’s waist. “I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun just talking to someone.”

“You need to get out more, Stevie.” Steve is pulled to a stop when Bucky halts their walk; staring at Steve like he’s really seeing him. “I wanna kiss you.”

“Don’t keep me waitin then, Barnes.” Bucky treats him like he’s delicate. He moves into Steve’s space, cupping his cheek lightly. This kiss is anything but. There have been very few moments in Steve’s life that have felt right: when he picked up a pencil and put it to paper the first time, when he became friends with Tony, and this. This above all the other times, feels more right, more perfect than anything before. Bucky pulls away from the kiss, but Steve pulls him into a tight embrace. “Can you let me just feel this for a little longer?”

“Feel what, Steve?” Bucky searches his face, seeing the truth of the moment in Steve’s eyes.

“You belong with me.” Bucky looks stunned, but not upset. “We belong right here, in this moment, together. I want to feel this every day. I want to wake up to you and go to bed next to you. I need you.” Steve hangs his head in shame. “I know it makes me sound crazy, Buck, but you’re it for me.”

“Steve, we’ve known each other for a day. There are things you don’t know about me; things that might change your mind.” Steve brushes Bucky’s hair away from his face, tucking it behind his ear.

“If you mean Budapest and what came after, I already know some of it.” He leans in, kissing Bucky’s cheek. “I think you’re a goddamn hero for that and for walking away the way you did.”

“How…I don’t…” Steve chuckles, surprising Bucky even more.

“Tony’s a better spy than the two spies we have on the team.” Bucky barks a laugh and snuggles into Steve’s chest, cuddling into his neck. “He found the files, buried in Fury’s personal server.” Steve reaches up, running fingers through Bucky’s hair. “Did you really tell Fury to kiss your ass when he told you to come in?”

He can feel Bucky’s breath skate across his neck when the ex-spy chuckles. “I had already told him I was out, but when he found out I had the only file on Black Widow, he wanted it and I wouldn’t give it to him. He ordered me to come in for debrief. I told him to kiss my ass and whatever was in that file he didn’t need to know. If Nat wanted him to know, she’d tell him herself. He doesn’t like not knowing everything and being three steps ahead of everyone else.”

“So, besides Nat, you’re the only other person that knows everything about her.” Bucky nods against his neck, kissing gently. “I don’t think I want to go back to the hotel tonight, Bucky.”

Bucky pulls back with a smirk. “One day and all of my secrets and you’re still wanting this?”

“I know this is right. I know that I need you in my life, in whatever way you want. I know that if you don’t stop me, I’m going to tell you that I love you before the nights over.”

Bucky throws his head back, laughing gleefully. “You just did, punk.”

“Get used to it, jerk.” They start walking again, but instead of heading to the hotel, they head away from it. “Where are we going?”

“You said you didn’t want to go back to the hotel, so we’re going home. It’s not big or fancy, but it’s home.”

Steve pulls him to a stop again, causing Bucky to turn. “If you’re there, it’s always gonna be home.”

Steve wakes the following morning with a smile on his face. He doesn’t remember the last time that happened. He doesn’t remember if that’s ever happened. The warmth coming from next to him in bed makes the smile grow. Rolling over, he snakes an arm around that warmth and pulls it closer. The hum from next to him forces an already there smile into a wide grin. Leaning in he kisses the bare shoulder and inhales deeply, brushing his nose against the sleep warm skin. They had gone to bed snuggled into each other, kissing languidly, but falling into a restful sleep not long after. It isn’t that Steve doesn’t want more, but he also wants Bucky to know he’s serious. He’s in this for the long haul and won’t mess that up by forcing something physical too soon.

“I’m not usually a morning person, but this,” Bucky pulls Steve’s arm more tightly around him, “I could get used to.”

Steve kisses his shoulder again. “Good because I’m not going anywhere.”

Bucky rolls over, forcing a smile up at Steve. “But you’ll have to soon. This is just a vacation, remember.”

And that’s why Steve didn’t push last night. “This started as a vacation. Now it’s a rest of my life kind of thing.”

Bucky looks up surprised. “Are you sure?”

Steve lays his head on Bucky’s shoulder, cuddling into his neck. “Absolutely.” The reality hits him then. “Unless you don’t…”

Before he can finish, Bucky kisses his forehead. “Don’t…I’m in this with you. I don’t understand it. It’s happened so fast, but I’m in it too.”

They crawl out of bed pulling on sweat pants that Bucky gets from the wardrobe. As he makes coffee and starts warming up pastries, Steve can’t seem to stay away from him. As he scoops the coffee into the machine, Steve wraps around him from behind. When he moves down the counter, Steve sidesteps with him. It isn’t until he starts to the oven and Steve still doesn’t relinquish his hold, that Bucky starts laughing.

“Are you going to do this all day?” He leans his head back on Steve’s shoulder.

Steve takes the unintended invitation and starts kissing Bucky’s neck. “Do what?”

“Stay attached to me?” Steve snorts a laugh.

“Probably. That a problem?” Bucky giggles, outright giggles, and Steve immediately needs to hear more of that.

“Not until I take a shower. That could get complicated.” Steve freezes in mid kiss.

His brain fills with images of Bucky, water cascading down his body, across his shoulders, down his back, across his chest and down to his… “Shit.” Steve steps away, leaning heavily on the table.

Bucky comes over, cupping his face. “Hey, hey, what happened? Are you okay?”

Steve blushes furiously. “Yeah, yeah, I just thought about you in the shower and my brain overloaded.”

Bucky throws his head back, laughing. “Aw Stevie, you having fantasies about me?”

Steve snorts again. “You’re an asshole, Barnes.”

Turning back to the pastries and putting them in the oven. “Yep!” And he pops the ‘P’ for emphasis.

Showers happen separately and Steve dresses in the pants he wore last night and one of Bucky’s sweaters. It stretches more across the chest, but otherwise fits well. Slipping into his shoes, Bucky comes into the room, looking up and down Steve’s body. Steve freezes. “What?”

A slow smirk creeps across Bucky’s face. “I do like you in my clothes.”

Steve goes to him, pulling him in to cradle against the super soldier’s body. “Now who’s being possessive?”

Bucky relaxes into Steve’s arms, folding his own over Steve’s chest and staring up at the blond. “I’m not going to hide the fact that I feel possessive of you. I’d like to put a sign on your back that says, ‘If found, return to Bucky Barnes.’”

Leaning in, Steve captures Bucky mouth in a searing kiss. “I like that idea. Maybe I should just get a tattoo that say, ‘property of Bucky Barnes.’”

The kiss that follows is definitely possessive, definitely proprietary, and definitely heated. “Don’t tempt me, Rogers. If you’re really serious about this relationship, don’t you dare tempt me.”

Steve turns, lifting the sweater, exposing his lower back. “Should I get it like a tramp stamp?” Bucky giggles again, grabbing Steve’s hand and leading him out of the apartment.

The team has a late breakfast, due to a late night. They’d sat in the restaurant watching Steve and Bucky have dinner, then watched them leave. Some waited in the bar for Steve to return to the hotel, but he never did. Tony had gone up to bed with Pepper, knowing his friend well enough to know he wouldn’t be back. As he watched Steve at dinner, even from across the room and even in low light, he could see the look. It was new, something he’d never seen on his friend’s face before. Whoever this guy is, Steve’s found his other half.

This morning he waits, occasionally looking towards the door of the dining room. The text from Steve earlier gave him a heads up that the others didn’t have. Steve comes in, Bucky in tow, beaming at the dark headed man. They come to a stop at the table. “Bucky, you remember Laura.” They nod at each other and she smirks at them. “This is…well…everyone. You probably know their names. Everyone, this is Bucky.” He pulls Bucky to the other side of the table, stopping at Tony, who stood up when they came in. “Bucky, this is Tony.”

The two men shake hands. Bucky knows how important Tony is to Steve, he also knows a lot about the genius from files at SHIELD. Tony looks at Bucky critically then breaks into a smile. “Mr. Barnes, it is a pleasure. Normally when I say that, it’s an insult, but in this case, it really is a pleasure.”

“Mr. Stark, I’m honored to meet you. Steve’s told me so much about you.” Tony lowers his glasses on his nose.

“I’m going to be very disappointed in you Steven if you spent all your time talking about me.” He looks Bucky up and down. “I mean not that I’m not flattered that you’d rather talk about your best friend instead of hitting this, but still, time and place, Rogers.”

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose. “Jesus Tony. You just met him and you’re trying to scare him off.”

“Well at first it didn’t bother me, but when he screamed your name out in bed, it became a concern.” Tony grabs Bucky’s shoulders, turning him to sit next to the billionaire.

“Oh, we are keeping this one.” Steve turns every shade of red, but takes the seat next to Bucky. Steve watches the banter between the two most important people in his life and the team watches Steve. When he looks up later in the meal, Natasha is frowning at him in a way that isn’t her disappointment look, something else is there that he doesn’t have name for.

She stops him later that morning as he walks Bucky to the exit. The gallery hadn’t opened on time and Bucky is hurriedly trying to get to work. Leaving Steve; however, is not at all easy and when Nat walks up, Bucky knows he needs to stay for whatever she’s going to have to say. When she gets to them, reaching up, she smacks Steve in the back of the head. “What the hell, Rogers!”

Steve reaches up, rubbing his head even though it didn’t really hurt. “What was that for?”

She gives him a very ‘I’m unimpressed with your act of stupid’ glare. “If you’d told me you were gay, I wouldn’t have been setting you up on dates.”

Steve blushes and Bucky squeezes his hand. “I didn’t want to have to say it. I wanted it to just happen.”

Folding her arms over her chest, she quirks and eyebrow. “Yeah, but I bet you _best friend_ knew, didn’t he? Anything else you’re keeping from the team?”

“No, that’s about it.” Bucky pulls him around facing the brunette.

“I gotta get to the gallery.” Leaning up, he kisses Steve and turns to leave. As he walks away, he smacks Steve in the ass making the super soldier yelp. That causes the red-headed spy to laugh hysterically.

In two days they are going back to New York. Steve would think about it as home, but it’s not anymore. Home is wherever Bucky happens to be. Today, he’s sitting in the ski lodge with Laura and Pepper, watching Bucky race Tony and Clint down the slope. They can just make out Tony’s red and gold ski gear and assume that the purple blur on his left and the blue blur on his right are Clint and Bucky. Then a red blur and a black and red blur race past them making Clint fall.

Laura giggles. “Nat always gets him.”

Tony and Bucky have stopped to help Clint up, but it appears that Bucky may be laughing more than helping. “Why don’t you ski, Steve? I bet you’d be good at it.”

He looks over at Pepper. “Never tried, you know, before and now, well, I think I’ve had enough of being in ice.”

The two women let it drop, not having thought about that. The waiter comes over and they all order more drinks. “Clint is going to milk this later. I’ll end up giving him a back rub.”

The drinks come and Steve leans forward to pick his up. “Is that really a hardship?” He quirks an eyebrow at her and she giggles again.

“Not if you don’t mind having another niece or nephew.” Steve sputters. “That’s how we ended up with Nate.”

Pepper is thrown into a fit of giggles and Steve can’t help but join in. He loves these people so much. Looking up, he sees the three men coming towards them carrying their skis. Bruce, Thor, and Wanda come out of the lodge carrying trays with more drinks. 

Tony leans in kissing Pepper while Clint plops into the chair next to Laura. “Did you see what Nat and Sam did?”

Bucky comes to Steve and slides into his lap. Steve’s arms go automatically around his waist to keep him stable. Turning, he kisses Steve then rubs their noses together. “I think Clint’s ego has been bruised.”

Steve chuckles. “That’s probably not all that’s been bruised.”

Nat and Sam join them soon after and drinks are passed around. Tony raises his glass and everyone waits to see how he will insult someone at the table. “To family.”

There’s a moment of shocked awe, then glasses are raised and everyone agrees. “To family!”

“Are you sure about this, Tony?” Pepper looks around the chalet.

He steps in from the deck off the back, looking around the lounge and smiling. “Pepper, have you ever seen Steve like this about anything?”

She does a turn, looking from the lounge into the state of the art kitchen and then out back at the forest surrounding the house. “No, I haven’t and you do know him better than anyone.” She frowns at him. “The team is still upset about that, by the way.”

Tony grins. “Good, they are always trying to get information about him and he needed someone that he could depend on.” He looks at the painting above the fireplace. He’d grabbed it that morning after Steve left with Bucky. “At first I didn’t understand what he needed from me, but after I realized that he really just needed a friend…”

She comes over, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m glad he had you through everything.”

He turns to watch her work through whatever it is that she wants to say. “But…”

“But he just met this man, who, according to Laura, was a spy.” Tony looks startled that she knows that. “What do you think the wives of the Avengers talk about? Knitting?”

Tony snorts. “If you ever take up knitting I’m leaving you.”

She laughs, but still looks around unsure. “Are you really sure about this?”

“Pepper, I’ve known Steve better than anyone else and I’m telling you this thing with Bucky is the real deal. They are a match that I didn’t see coming, but I’m also not going to question it when I get to see Steve laugh in a way that he’s never done before.” He raises her eyes to his with a knuckle under her chin. “He wants to stay here because Barnes can’t come back. I want to give him this.”

She nods with teary eyes. “Show me where the command center will be.”

“Now you’re talking my language.” They make their way to the basement and he expounds on what he’s going to do. They walk the property next door and he tells her his plan for that. When they return to the house the workers are done and Tony goes to the kitchen and pulls out a thumb drive. Slipping it into the control board in the wall, he waits. Tony had to find just the right house for this. It had to match Steve’s personality, but also needed to be wired already. Within a few more minutes, he smiled and pulls the thumb drive from the wall. “DOT?”

‘Yes boss?’

“Nope, I’m just the creator, your bosses will be here later tonight.”

That night, Steve and Bucky have dinner alone. The café they are in is small and cozy, lit by a fire in the huge fireplace in the back. The soft glow gives Bucky that same angelic radiance. Steve is dazzled by him, but knows that tonight is about more than dinner. They’ve been avoiding the subject and when they do try to talk about it, a disagreement happens.

“We have to talk about this, Steve.” Steve starts to speak up, but Bucky raises his hand to stop the words. “You’re leaving tomorrow and that’s the bottom line.”

“What if I don’t want to go? What if I just stay here with you?” Steve looks imploringly at Bucky. “Please Buck, please just let me stay here.”

“And how would that work? You’re Captain America, Steve. You have a job and a family that depends on you being there to lead them. You don’t just walk away from that.” Bucky hangs his head because he’s known this whole time that it would come down to this. It’s why he didn’t let the physical part of the relationship happen. “You have to go home, Steve. They need you.”

In the firelight, Bucky can see the tears gathering in his loves eyes. “I…” Before Steve can go any further, the café is suddenly crowded with…family. “Tony?”

Bucky looks up confused to see the entire team plus, standing around their table. Tony raises his hand and the waitress comes over. “We’re going to need you to box up what they’re having and we need to pick up the order we called for.” She nods and turns to leave. “Oh, and throw in a few of those apple cakes.” Steve and Bucky seem stunned, but before they can ask, Tony heads to the bar. He comes back carrying a lot of somethings in a bag. It doesn’t take as long as they thought for the waitress to bring the food back. Pepper pays and they head to the door. Tony turns to the two still sitting at the table confused. “Come on, we have places to be.”

They get up following the team out. The two SUVs waiting outside take them out of the city. It’s a beautiful drive ending on a winding road. When the cars stop it’s at a modern looking chalet, Steve and Bucky are even more confused. Tony carries some of the bags to the door, inputting a code and throwing it open. “Come family, we shall feast.”

“Tony, what the hell is going on?” Steve really doesn’t want to be rude, but he wants to spend the night with Bucky.

Tony sits the bags on the floor, spreading his arms, and spinning in a circle. “Welcome home, Steve and Bucky.” There’s a banner hanging inside the entry with the same words. “The team knows you don’t want to return to New York.” He looks at Bucky over his glasses. “And that you can’t return to New York, so we decided to give you a home together. Over the next couple of months we’ll be installing certain amenities to the home, making things easier as far as getting to and from New York, but one has already been installed.” He smiles at a very confused Steve. “DOT, say hello.”

“Welcome home Mr. Barnes and Mr. Rogers.”

The lights come on and Bucky is ready to freak out. The place is modern, but warm. It’s open, but private. It’s absolutely beautiful and he doesn’t know what to say or do. Steve looks around and sees the painting he bought hanging above the fire place. “Tony?”

The rest of the team crowds in, taking the rest of the bags of food to the dining room. It looks out over the forest and the deck with a fire pit that is already going strong. Tony and Pepper stay with Steve and Bucky. “Steve, you don’t want to go back to New York, you want to stay here with _your_ home. We don’t want to lose you as a teammate, so this works out. In the next few months, the basement will be turned into a command center and all of your uniforms will be there. I’ve also bought the property next door and we’re putting in a hanger for a jet.” He looks at Bucky. “Let us do this for you. I want to fix your situation, Barnes and then maybe you can come back too, but for now, this is the best solution.”

Pepper leans in, kissing their cheeks. “Just say yes and let’s celebrate.”

Steve looks at Bucky, who looks like he may cry. “Yes.”

Steve grins. “Yes.”

It’s been six months and Bucky gets up every day and heads to the gallery. Tony didn’t just leave them with a home, but also with cars. Bucky doesn’t want to admit, but he really likes the cars. Steve spends his days painting and working through tactical plans for missions. In the six months, he’s only left on three missions that were an all hands on deck kind of situation. Villains are getting more and more ridiculous and if Steve wasn’t in the middle of a firefight with the last one, he probably would have laughed.

The basement area was completed three months after moving in and about a week ago, the hanger was finished. Tony hasn’t brought the jet yet because he told Steve he wanted to make sure it was the newest model so that Steve could get anywhere faster than anyone else on the team. Fury had nearly come unglued when all of this had unfolded. He’d said that he was going to find Cap and drag him back, but Tony and the rest of the team had simply stated that if Fury did that, they would all quit.

It’s nearing seven and Steve is in the kitchen cooking dinner when the front door opens. “Honey, I’m home and I found a stray that we might have to keep.”

Steve comes around the corner, drying his hands and frowning. “What do you me…”

Natasha and Bruce stand in the entry, grinning. “We can’t just put them out on the street. That’s just cruel, Stevie.”

Nat and Bruce change from grins to pouts. “Yeah, we would starve and you don’t want that on your conscience.”

Steve chuckles, hugging them both. “What are you guys doing here?”

Nat leans in, kissing Bruce’s cheek. “Bruce has a conference and I tagged along to keep him company.”

Bucky follows Steve back into the kitchen with Nat and Bruce on their heels. “Whatcha makin for dinner, baby?”

Once in the kitchen, he sweeps Bucky into his arms. “You’ll just have to wait and see.” There’s a moment and everything around the two men freezes. It’s just them. Steve caresses Bucky’s cheek with his thumb and Bucky leans in, resting his forehead against Steve’s chin. 

Nat and Bruce just watch the exchange. This is what they wanted for their Captain, their friend and now seeing it just brings out all the soft happiness they both feel. Nat had feared that Steve was jumping into something that wasn’t for keeps. She’d even told him before they left all those months ago that it was okay if he needed to come home. But Tony had known. He’d never seen Steve so committed to something and for once, was the voice of reason. It had truly surprised everyone to find out how close the two actually were. Everyone except Clint and Laura.

While eating the roasted chicken and vegetables, they catch the two up on everything at home. “I think Hill is still pissed at you.”

Bucky laughs. “She’s just pissed that I got the drop on her and knocked her out for a day.”

“Well Coulson wants to shake your hand.” Bucky looks at Bruce confused. “I think he believes that anyone that can make Steve happy is okay.”

“How long are you two staying?” Steve needs to grocery shop if they are staying longer than a few days.

“The conference is a week. We can stay in town if it’s putting you out.” Nat’s eyes twinkle because she knows that Steve wants them there.

“Shut up, Nat. You know better than that.” Steve reaches over taking Bucky’s hand, asking silently if that’s okay. Bucky smiles and strokes a thumb over Steve’s hand giving his okay. Steve looks over at Nat. “You just have to go grocery shopping with me tomorrow.”

The following day, Bruce is gone before they get up and Bucky is getting dressed. Steve sits in bed, sipping his coffee and watching as Bucky slips his boxers on. He makes no pretense about the fact that he’s watching the swell of Bucky’s ass and the pull of the muscles in his back. “Enjoying the show?”

Steve nearly snorts coffee. “Very much so. You could come back to bed.”

“And be late opening the gallery again. I don’t think so.” Steve gives him a pout and Bucky tries to resist, but can’t. He crawls back in bed and over Steve. Taking the coffee cup and sitting it on the bedside table. “You are a menace to society with those eyes.”

Steve grabs him, pulling him down on top. One hand slides into his hair and the other slips further down. “If anyone is a menace, it’s you. No one should be as beautiful as you are in real life.”

“Flattery is a sure way to make me late.” The kiss steals the breath from both men. Steve rolls them, putting himself on top. Bucky looks up and Steve will never tire of the look on his face. He freezes, just looking. Bucky cocks an eyebrow. “Everything okay?”

Steve swallows hard and Bucky gets nervous. “Yeah…yeah…just…”

Bucky reaches up, cupping the super soldier’s cheek. “Just what?”

“My ma used to tell me stories about my dad. I never knew him, but the way she talked about him, he became real. As real as she was to me. She’d tell me about when he was courting her.” Bucky doesn’t know where this conversation is going and it must show in his face. “I have always believed in true love because of the stories she told me.” Bucky’s face softens. “I met you and realized what she’d been telling me was true. It is possible to just know, in the instant that you meet someone, that they are the most important thing in the world. I love you, so much. Some days I don’t feel like I can contain it.”

Bucky clears his throat because of the giant lump that’s formed. He looks away from Steve and blushes. “When you turned around in the gallery that day, the day we met, I was stunned. I’d seen pictures of you, but they were always the Captain America pictures. What I saw that day wasn’t that. It was Steve. Just Steve. I didn’t know that anyone could literally take my breath away, but you did. I love you, Stevie and I don’t think I would understand a world where that wasn’t true.”

“Are you sure you want to go to work today?” Bucky bursts with laughter.

“Yes, and because of you, I’m going to be late again.” Steve barks a laugh as Bucky gets up, dressing, giving one last kiss that shouldn’t have been that thorough, and leaves for the gallery.

Steve finds Nat in the kitchen a little later. She’s grinning over her coffee cup, but doesn’t move her eyes from the back yard. “This place in unbelievably beautiful.”

Steve hums and gets more coffee. “What do you want to do today besides groceries?”

She looks over, finally. “I want to see your paintings.” 

While she’s getting ready, Steve heads upstairs to put more towels in Bruce’s room, but finds that the bed hasn’t been slept in and his things aren’t in the closet. He looks down the hall at Nat’s room and grins. She steps out of the room and sees him. He smirks at her and she answers it with one of her own.

He hands her the towels, kissing her cheek. “Let me take a quick shower and we’ll head in.”

While he’s in the shower, she heads down to the command center. Securing a line, she gets Tony who looks like he hasn’t slept since they left. “How’s everything at the mini-Avengers home?”

Nat laughs. “Everything is just as good as we hoped. These two are nauseatingly in love with each other.”

She pulls her feet up into the chair, cradling her second cup of coffee. Tony levels her with a look. “Why didn’t you tell me how sensitive some of this information was?”

Not very often does someone cause that jittery feeling in Nat’s stomach. “There are certain things that I don’t know how to share. They made me into so many different people and after awhile I sorta lost sight of who I really am and wanted to be. It wasn’t until Clint brought me in that I realized that I could really be those things and it wasn’t just a hope.”

Tony nods while looking down at his lap. “Thank you.”

She quirks an eyebrow at him. “For what?”

“Trusting me enough to let me see what was on this. I’m going to destroy it because Barnes was right in the first place. You have the last say in who knows this stuff about you. I don’t want anyone to ever use any of this against you.” Nat’s surprised by his openness and honest desire to be her protector.

“I’ve told Bruce.” Tony nods, not surprised by that turn. “And Clint which means Laura knows.”

“You share this with anyone you want, but it isn’t going to come from me.” He claps his hands together signaling a change in the conversation. “I’m flying the jet over next week. I think I’m going to build a few others for us. I set out to make it just for Steve, but I think I outdid myself.”

Nat looks at him in mock shock. “Tony Stark going overboard. I can’t believe that.”

“Smartass. Anyway, when Bruce’s conference is over, you should just stay until the rest of us arrive.” She nods. “Warn Steve and Buckster that they’re going to have more visitors.”

While moving through the different shops, Nat watches Steve and how there’s a weight that doesn’t seem to be resting on his shoulders anymore. “You seem happy.”

Steve looks over, grinning. “I am happy. And you?”

She knows that he’s asking about Bruce, so she gives a half-shrug. “Yeah, I think so. It’s strange to really feel this way and it isn’t for a job.” Steve furrows his brow and she realizes that he doesn’t understand. That means that… “Steve, you read the files on me, right?”

He looks shocked. “No, why would I do that?”

There are very few times in Natasha’s life that she’s been surprised and Steve seems to be the center of all those times. “Wait, but Barnes didn’t…you didn’t read…even Tony knows what’s in that file.”

“Yeah, because you had Bucky give it to him so he would. You never told Bucky that I could read them, so I didn’t.” He puts the bag of rice into the basket. “Nat, that stuff is private and I wouldn’t look through something without your expressed permission.”

She leans up, kissing his cheek. “You are a good man in a way that I don’t think I understand.”

He snorts. “I don’t know if that is a complement or an insult.”

In bed later that night, Bucky straddles Steve’s thighs, rubbing the blonds back. Steve’s head is cradled on his hands, folded under his head, eyes closed and a smile of contentment playing on his lips. “Nat wanted to talk to me about something while you and Bruce were downstairs after dinner.”

Steve hums. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“She wanted to know why you didn’t read her files.” Steve hums again, so Bucky continues. “She doesn’t understand how you can completely trust her if you don’t know everything.”

Steve turns his head to look up at Bucky. “Yeah, I figured, but it’s just not necessary. I mean she doesn’t know everything about me, but she trusts me.”

“Well yeah, but that’s how she is. She thinks that she knows and understands everyone. You throw her off because just when she thinks she has everything about you figured out, you throw her a curveball.” Steve barks a laugh and Bucky rises up so he can roll over.

Steve pulls him down to lay on top. “I guess I’m just an oddity then.”

Bucky lays there quietly for a few minutes. “Steve, is there anything about you that I don’t know?”

Steve starts carding his fingers through Bucky’s hair causing the man to snuggle into Steve’s chest further. “I don’t think so. Is there anything you want to know?”

Bucky runs his fingers up Steve’s chest, lifting his head. “How many people have you been with?”

Steve doesn’t answer immediately and Bucky knows that means the answer is difficult for the super soldier to admit. Meaning it’s probably way more than Bucky thinks. “Listen Buck, it’s not that I didn’t want you to know, it’s just that it was really embarrassing.”

Bucky lays his forehead against Steve’s chest. “Let me guess, at least a few of the women and men on the Man with a Plan tour, plus Peggy and probably a few really discreet affairs since being out of the ice.”

Steve’s mouth open and closes several times before he spits out the answer. “Actually, just you.”

It’s Bucky’s turn to do his best impression of a goldfish. “Wait! What?”

Steve turns his head away, blushing furiously. “Yeah.”

Sitting up, Bucky straddles Steve’s waist. Cupping the man’s cheek, Bucky turns him to make eye contact. “You mean to tell me, that pretty little twink and this,” He waves at Steve’s body. “And you never did _anything_?” Steve shakes his head, but still seems to be unable to say anything. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I’m your only experience.” Leaning in, he captures Steve’s mouth in a filthy kiss. “If you think I was possessive before, oh baby, you have no idea how bad I’m going to be now.”

Steve sits up, one arm on Bucky’s back to support him and one on the bed behind him to support himself. “Does that mean I have to get that tattoo now?”

Bucky tackles him back into the pillows. “Seriously, don’t tempt me, Rogers.”


End file.
